Take It or Leave It

2. Struck Gold

KIARA

"You're such an asshole!" I yelled into my phone.

My ex-boyfriend Jay was on the other line, "Come on Kiara, be honest with yourself. You can't handle being alone in this industry. You need me to keep your career."

"Do you think you are the only reason I have this job?" I scoffed.

He'd lost his mind. I was walking in Paris Fashion Week at sixteen he thought he was the reason I was a model?

"I'm not going to keep arguing with you, Jay. You're a cheater, a liar, and obviously you're fucking delusional. Our relationship is over. Don't call me again."

"But Ki-"

I hung up the phone and stuffed it in my pocket before he could get his sentence out.

Getting up from my bed, I stepped out of my bedroom and walked into the kitchen. My body gravitated toward the bottle of red wine sitting on a shelf. I grabbed the bottle and the corkscrew, not even bothering with a glass.

After taking my bottle to the couch with me, I crawled onto my couch and pulled my cell phone out of the pocket of my sweatpants.

I had a plethora of missed calls from Jay, but I couldn't be bothered to return them, so I went to the settings of his contact and blocked him.

Scrolling down my recent messages, I tapped my best friend, Marnie's icon, and texted her.

Me
I just blocked him again

Marnie <3
Thank God. What was the final straw this time?

Me
He called me begging for a second chance and then told me I wouldn't have my career without him.

Me
Stupid, right?

Marnie <3
No way. Like he isn't the same guy who asked you for your manager's name so he could set up a meeting with her...

  Me
EXACTLY.

Marnie <3
Do you want me to come over? I can bring snacks and girl talk.

Me
No I think I'm going to spend this night alone.

I cuddled up on my couch with my bottle of wine that dwindled quickly for the next hour, I watched sad romance movies, deleted every picture of James out of my phone, and listened to as much R&B as I could.

The next morning, I woke up on the couch with dry lips and a headache. I reached for my phone and checked the missed calls and messages I had from a night of my phone being on Do Not Disturb. Most of my unanswered calls and texts were from friends calling to ask how I was doing after the break-up. But there was a missed call and an unanswered text from my publicist, Rebecca at two in the morning.

The text was simple, yet unnerving.

Call me when you get the chance. We need to talk.